The Senior Controls Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development, implementation, and support of control systems for turbomachinery—including gas and steam turbines. This role requires deep expertise in PLCs, DCS, and OEM platforms like GE Mark VIe, and involves engineering support from concept through commissioning. The position is both hands-on and leadership-oriented, involving collaboration with multidisciplinary teams across design, field service, and plant operations.
Lead the design of turbine control systems, including control logic, sequencing, interlocks, alarm management, and HMI integration.
Develop control philosophies, functional design specifications (FDS), I/O lists, and system architecture diagrams.
Configure and program GE Mark VIe (ToolboxST), Siemens S7/TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley (RSLogix/Studio 5000), or other PLC/DCS platforms.
Create and modify SCADA/HMI systems (GE Cimplicity, WinCC, FactoryTalk View, etc.).
Lead commissioning efforts including loop checks, I/O validation, logic testing, and system tuning.
Provide advanced diagnostics for turbine trips, control malfunctions, or operational anomalies.
Plan and execute control system migrations from legacy systems (e.g., Mark V to Mark VIe).
Lead the integration of new auxiliary skids, safety systems, or performance enhancements.
Provide technical support for field outages, start-ups, and scheduled maintenance events.
Interface with OEMs and client teams to resolve control-related performance issues.
Guide junior and mid-level engineers, reviewing their designs and code for accuracy and efficiency.
Participate in peer reviews, HAZOPs, and SIL verifications for safety instrumented systems.
Support proposal development, estimation, and scheduling of controls scope.
Serve as the technical point of contact for clients and third-party vendors on turbine controls.
Turbomachinery Scope:
Gas turbines (GE Frame series, LM series, Siemens SGT, Solar Mars/Taurus)
Steam turbines (Condensing/Back-pressure/Extraction)
Compressors, turbo-expanders, generators, and auxiliaries
Control Platforms:
GE Mark VIe / ToolboxST
Siemens T3000 / S7 / PCS 7
Allen-Bradley ControlLogix
Emerson DeltaV / Yokogawa Centum (if applicable)
Auxiliary Systems Integration:
Lube oil, seal gas, fuel systems, anti-surge control, vibration & condition monitoring (Bently Nevada)
Integration with plant DCS or SCADA systems via Modbus, Profibus, OPC, etc.
Tools & Standards:
Control system simulators, loop tuning tools, alarm rationalization
IEC 61131-3, IEC 61508/61511, API 670/612/616, SAMA diagrams
SIL assessments, logic validation, cause & effect analysis
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, or Control Engineering
Master’s Degree preferred for R&D or specialized OEM roles
Experience:
7–15 years of experience in control systems engineering with a minimum of 5 years in turbine-specific roles
Certifications (Preferred):
GE Mark VIe training (OEM certified)
TÜV Functional Safety Engineer or similar
ISA, Siemens, Rockwell Automation certifications
Core Skills:
Strong command of turbine control sequences, start/stop logic, protection schemes
Proficient in troubleshooting logic errors, field signals, and communication failures
Effective communicator with cross-functional teams (mechanical, instrumentation, OEM, plant ops)
Soft Skills:
Excellent leadership, mentoring, and project management skills
Strong documentation and technical writing capabilities
Flexible for field travel and high-stakes decision-making